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Results for Sotheby's Important Watches

19,574 articles · 167 videos found · page 19 of 659

Tiffany & Co. Watchmaking Kicks Off with Bird on a Flying Tourbillon SJX Watches
Chanel watches Tiffany’s watch division Jan 22, 2025

Tiffany & Co. Watchmaking Kicks Off with Bird on a Flying Tourbillon

Having acquired Tiffany & Co. in 2020, LVMH set about remaking the storied American jeweller. That extended to Tiffany’s watch division, which now debuts the first flagship creation under new ownership, the Bird on a Flying Tourbillon. Led since 2021 by Nicolas Beau, the former chief of Chanel watches, Tiffany’s watch division turned to independent watchmaker Artime for the movement of the new tourbillon. Set with some 4 carats of diamonds, the Bird on a Flying Tourbillon features an off-centre dial layout with a flying tourbillon at seven o’clock, along with a turquoise marquetry dial bearing a pair of diamond-set birds in flight. Initial thoughts One of Tiffany’s best-known jewellery designs, the Bird on the Rock has been a fixture in the brand’s catalogue for decades. A horological twist on the concept, the Bird on a Flying Tourbillon is clearly part of an effort to position the design as a versatile icon that is Tiffany’s equivalent of the Serpenti. It’s a little bigger and thicker than the traditional ladies’ watch, though reminiscent of the MB&F; LM Flying T. The reason for the size is the AFT24T01 movement inside, which is more interesting than usual as it was developed for Tiffany & Co. by Artime, a recently established independent brand. The AFT24T01 has a high quality execution with appealing details, but it’s related to Artime’s own calibre for a men’s skeleton tourbillon, explaining its large size. As an opening effort, the Bird on a Flying...

Introducing – Gübelin Unveils Ipsomatic, its Own Watch Designed by Architect Santiago Calatrava Monochrome
Patek Philippe watches once retailed Oct 4, 2024

Introducing – Gübelin Unveils Ipsomatic, its Own Watch Designed by Architect Santiago Calatrava

If you’re into watches, then the name Gübelin should sound familiar –  you’ll probably first think about double-signed vintage Patek Philippe watches, once retailed by this house. Indeed, Gübelin is, first and foremost, a jeweller and watch retailer which has been in the business for over 150 years in Switzerland. Today, Gübelin returns to making […]

Horology and Hollywood: The No Country for Old Men Timex Camper Wristwatch Worn & Wound
Rolex GMT Master 1675 watches Sep 26, 2024

Horology and Hollywood: The No Country for Old Men Timex Camper Wristwatch

There seems to be a clear correlation between watch enthusiasts and cinephiles. From Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Seiko H558-5009 (mentioned in one of my previous articles) to Marlon Brando’s bezel-less Rolex GMT Master 1675, watches and their film counterparts have been the focus of discussion in the watch collector space for years. While an Arnie will cost you around $500 and 1675s over $10k, pieces of film history can be obtained by hobbyists of all tax brackets. However, even the several hundred-dollar price for a girthy Seiko diver may still be out of the price range for many collectors who find the allure of Hollywood memorabilia sitting in their watch case to be intriguing.  Enter the Timex Camper. In the opening sequence of Ethan and Joel Coen’s 2007 masterpiece film No Country for Old Men, protagonist Llewelyn Moss (played by Josh Brolin) tracks game animals across the West Texas plains. He bends down on one knee, takes his watch out, and holds it to the sun––attempting to use the shadows of the handset on the dial to track his direction. The audience fortunately gets a few frames of the watch on screen. What’s shown is a Timex Camper, dark green, with a matching fabric strap. It’s rather small in the shot, but us collectors will take whatever wristwatch screen time we can get. The Camper’s aesthetics obviously differentiate it from the aforementioned Arnie and 1675, but its most important trait for us is its price. For well under $100––commonly li...

Purpose Built: The Sinn EZM 12 SJX Watches
Sinn EZM 12 “Tool” watches Aug 8, 2024

Purpose Built: The Sinn EZM 12

“Tool” watches form a substantial part of watchmakers’ offerings today, at practically every point of the price spectrum. But true tool watches built for – and actually used by – professionals are rare. That’s partly due to the fact that inexpensive electronic watches do just as good a job. But Sinn continues to offer unusual timekeepers conceived specifically for professionals, ranging from pilots to firefighters, including the EZM 12 designed for emergency medical workers. Dr Martin Leitl with the EZM 12 Einsatzzeitmesser Historically a brand focused on tool watches, many watches in Sinn’s catalogue are no-frills timepieces with maximum functionality and legibility. Arguably the pinnacle of its tool watch line-up is the EZM series, short for Einsatzzeitmesser, which translates as “mission timer”. A “mission timer”, generally speaking, is an instrument for time measurement in a professional capacity, often one used for military applications, timekeeping on scientific expeditions, or even automobile races and rallies. The watches that make up the EZM series are largely designed for the needs of professionals in various fields, often conceived with the input of users in the field. The EZM 1 The watch that started the series was the EZM 1 with its distinctive left-handed case orientation. Introduced in 1997, the first “mission timer” was developed for the Zentrale Unterstützungsgruppe Zoll (ZUZ), the tactical unit of Germany’s federal customs aut...

A Historical Overview Of The Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Polaris Fratello
Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Polaris Dive watches Jul 10, 2024

A Historical Overview Of The Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Polaris

Dive watches are some of the most popular sports watches in the world, steeped in romance and a sense of adventure. While some have become the stuff of legend, others have not received quite as much attention. The Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Polaris is one that I feel many often overlook. Its history, however, is fascinating and […] Visit A Historical Overview Of The Jaeger-LeCoultre Memovox Polaris to read the full article.

Fratelli Stories: Serving In The Kampfschwimmer With An Issued IWC Fratello
Porsche Design these titanium watches had Jul 8, 2024

Fratelli Stories: Serving In The Kampfschwimmer With An Issued IWC

In the 1980s, IWC introduced a series of highly specialized dive watches for the Kampfschwimmer, an elite German military dive unit. Made in conjunction with Porsche Design, these titanium watches had IWC technology and ingenuity behind them. As military-issued versions of the IWC Ocean 2000, they are now referred to as the “Ocean Bund” among […] Visit Fratelli Stories: Serving In The Kampfschwimmer With An Issued IWC to read the full article.

W Worn & Wound
Worn & Wound
Rolex does watches It’s Jun 14, 2024

My Road to a Leica: a Tale of Experiences and Acceptance

“Leica” looms over cameras much like Rolex does watches. It’s a name with both meaning and stigma. On one hand, it speaks to quality, provenance, tradition, and a culture of dedicated enthusiasts. Conversely, it speaks to snobbery, wealth, style over substance, and exclusivity. Being who I am, I’m always suspicious of overly adored things, especially when they are expensive, as I can’t help but keep value in mind. Over the years, I’ve avoided the red dot despite countless recommendations. They just felt like too much of a thing I didn’t want to be a part of. A brand name for people who wanted to appear to be photographers, regardless of whether or not they had any skill or even a desire to shoot. Or maybe they didn’t even care if they appeared as photographers; the camera just served as an accessory to a lifestyle. Part of a kit that said, “Yeah, I do alright,” and looked great with a vintage Sub. *Side note: I wrote this intro before Griffin Bartsch covered the new SL3, and thus, I still thought myself clever for the Rolex comparison. As I now know it’s quite banal, I feel a tinge embarrassed, and yet, it holds a true statement, so it remains. As a former art major, I’ve always felt that cameras were tools, much like my paintbrushes. They could be used to create art or to document life. They weren’t lifestyle objects; they were a medium. I only got into photography in the first place to shoot my work in grad school. And then, I had to learn more ...

Bamford Drops B80 Collaboration with Ace Jewelers SJX Watches
Rolex watches often Apr 2, 2024

Bamford Drops B80 Collaboration with Ace Jewelers

London-based Bamford Watch Department’s latest is the B80 Limited Edition, a collaboration with Ace Jewelers of Amsterdam. In keeping with Bamford’s vintage-with-a-twist house style, the B80 boasts a “ghost” dial with a gradient finish and numerals inspired by historical military watches. The 39 mm titanium case has a black finished that’s been treated to appear aged. Initial Thoughts There is something about all-black watches that makes them cool. Part of it is the no-nonsense, military-instrument look they evoke. Black-coated watches, at least most of them, suffer from a major drawback - coatings wear off in time, resulting in a worn look that is more often than not unappealing. But here the wear has been done in advance for a fuss-free watch. According to the duo behind the B80, this is a “tool” watch conceived according to the notion “if [the watch is] too perfect, fix it”. Bamford, a company that got its start by modifying Rolex watches, often with vintage inspired styling and black-coated cases, is perhaps poking fun at its roots with the worn-out PVD finish of the B80. Even the dial features a “smoked” patina along with hands and indices with aged lume, thereby creating a “vintage” watch. But as with most Bamford watches – the brand now mostly makes original watches under its own name – the B80 is affordable and imbued with a spirit of fun. The back, for instance, is engraved with “You’re Ace”, and the watch is delivered with a...

Bringing A Rolex Submariner 5510 Australian “MilSub” Back To Life Fratello
Tudor watches Recently he sat Mar 24, 2024

Bringing A Rolex Submariner 5510 Australian “MilSub” Back To Life

Greg Petronzi is a passionate watchmaker who runs True Patina, a company that specializes in restoring vintage Rolex and Tudor watches. Recently, he sat down with me to share an ultra-rare Rolex Submariner 5510 that came across his workbench. Some of the best things about Rolex and Tudor are the stories. It has been a […] Visit Bringing A Rolex Submariner 5510 Australian “MilSub” Back To Life to read the full article.

First Look – Nonstop Red and Endless Blue, The New Colours of The Nomos Club Campus Monochrome
Nomos Club Campus Nomos’ watches Feb 29, 2024

First Look – Nonstop Red and Endless Blue, The New Colours of The Nomos Club Campus

Nomos’ watches are often lauded for their unmistakable Bauhaus influences, and with good reason. “Less is more” is a famous slogan, but also a significant part of our modern understanding of colour is rooted in Bauhaus colour theory. Nomos appears to have embraced its colour studies over the years, consistently presenting watch dials in captivating […]

[VIDEO] Review: The Delightfully Odd Longines HydroConquest GMT Worn & Wound
Longines HydroConquest GMT Watches Nov 2, 2023

[VIDEO] Review: The Delightfully Odd Longines HydroConquest GMT

Watches that break from conventional wisdom tend to provide the most memorable experiences on the wrist. We search out such examples around here and embrace new watches that aren’t afraid to cut against the grain in some way, shape, or form. Doing so presents a risk for brands, particularly large, well established brands. A by-the-numbers design meant to appeal to the largest possible swath of the population must, by definition, be as inoffensive as possible. Deviation from the template risks putting out a percentage of would-be buyers, but it also creates grounds for differentiation, a necessity in today’s crowded landscape of watch brands young and old. Achieving balance here means a design that’s unique and exciting, while being accessible enough to sell to enough people to make it work financially.  Generally, the larger the brand the safer they play with this equation. But that’s not always the case, as many large brands still produce polarizing yet recognizable watches that have a focused appeal to a group of die hard fans. I’ll let you conjure up your own examples of watches that fall into this category. One such testament is the Longines HydroConquest, a watch with a big personality that’s been emblematic of the era it was originally designed in, the mid ‘00s. Longines was ahead of the game when it introduced the HydroConquest in 2007, presenting a fully modern, forward looking take on a serious dive watch at Baselworld, and even offered in both 39 a...

Opinion: My Love-Hate Relationship with Accuracy and Precision Worn & Wound
Timex watches Oct 24, 2023

Opinion: My Love-Hate Relationship with Accuracy and Precision

I have had a love-hate relationship with accuracy and precision for most of my life. In high school, I used to set my Timex watches to the school bell, so that when my watch hit the mark, class was let out. When I was on the drill team in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, synchronizing our marching was critical and our timing had to be impeccable. I also grew up in a household that firmly believed that if you were not at least 10 minutes early, you were late. The latter has led me to sit on many empty Zoom/TEAMS calls for 5-10 minutes, but at least I am never late. It has been the same with the accuracy and precision of my mechanical watches. As a serial watch monogamist, I cannot wrap my head around owning multiple watches and swapping one out for another every other day. I just can’t do it. Instead, I wear my watches 24/7 and try to get the very most I can out of ownership. I track both the accuracy and precision of each piece, as well as how it wears and how the watch changes over time.  Now you may be asking yourself, why is he talking about accuracy and precision as if they were two different aspects of timing. To me, they are distinct. Accuracy is tracking how well a watch keeps time versus established atomic timing, such as www.time.gov. Precision is how precise the time is displayed on a watch. More on this later. For now, let us focus on accuracy. A familiar website for most watch collectors In the beginning, my initial introduction to mechanical watches was throu...

Highlights: Sotheby’s Paris “Fine Watches” Online Auction SJX Watches
Christiaan van der Klaauw planetarium along Sep 16, 2023

Highlights: Sotheby’s Paris “Fine Watches” Online Auction

Sotheby’s Fine Watches has just opened online, marking the start of the fall auction season. Curated by the auctioneer’s Paris office led by Benoit Colson, the sale promises a diverse selection of vintage and contemporary watches from establishment names like Rolex and Breguet, along with a handful of independent watchmakers. While the complete catalogue boasts 160 lots, we have put together a selection of interesting highlights ranging from value-buy complications like a Breguet rattrapante chronograph to the unusual first-generation Christiaan Van Der Klaauw planetarium, along with a very nice vintage Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542. And for European buyers, Sotheby’s is notable for being the sole global auction house conducting watch auctions within the European Union – majority of such sales are in Geneva and London – which gives clients the chance to purchase watches without the hassle associated with import taxes. Fine Watches takes place online September 15-29. All the watches will be on show at the preview exhibition inside Sotheby’s Paris office located at 76 Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré. Registration for bidding and the catalogue can be found on Sothebys.com. Lot 363: Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542 in yellow gold The Rolex GMT-Master ref. 6542 was mostly in stainless steel with the distinctive “Pepsi” bezel. However, the present lot stands as out for being in yellow gold with a brown bezel and matching dial with nipple-shaped hour markers. Dating to 1958,...

5 of our favourite watches available via Sotheby’s x Bucherer Certified Pre-Owned Time+Tide
Sep 11, 2023

5 of our favourite watches available via Sotheby’s x Bucherer Certified Pre-Owned

According to the Boston Consulting Group, pre-owned watch sales accounted for nearly one third of the total watch sales for the year – with pre-owned watch sales representing $22 billion of the $75 billion in watch sales for the year. Pre-owned watch sales are also projected to overtake first-hand ones by 2033 according to Bloomberg. … ContinuedThe post 5 of our favourite watches available via Sotheby’s x Bucherer Certified Pre-Owned appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Sotheby’s Fine Watches Auction: Zach picks 5 lots to keep an eye on Time+Tide
Sep 1, 2023

Sotheby’s Fine Watches Auction: Zach picks 5 lots to keep an eye on

Watch collectors love the hunt for their next watch, and auctions are a great place to find the next dream reference you desire. Sure, it can be intimidating at times, with high-profile lots going for exorbitant amounts of money, but these auctions typically have very large catalogues with hundreds of lots. For example, the upcoming … ContinuedThe post Sotheby’s Fine Watches Auction: Zach picks 5 lots to keep an eye on appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Out of Office: The Wandering Bezel of the Seiko Land Tortoise Worn & Wound
Seiko Land Tortoise Tool watches Aug 22, 2023

Out of Office: The Wandering Bezel of the Seiko Land Tortoise

Tool watches are, as the name suggests, utilitarian by design. When I bought an SRPG13, the green Seiko Land Tortoise with a compass bezel, I thought I was purchasing yet another tool watch with practical non-timekeeping functionality. After an overnight family backpacking trip, I’m not convinced my field watch is the useful tool I tried to force it to be. The Land Tortoise is a tool watch- in the sense that it’s technically capable of tasks beyond displaying the time. True North can be found with any analog watch by pointing the hour hand at the sun, bisecting the angle between the hour hand and the sun to find South, and then locating the opposite point to identify North. A compass bezel is an enhancement that allows the wearer to mark North after finding it. This summer our family of four is section hiking the entire Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway Trail; A 50 mile peak to peak path through New Hampshire’s backcountry. What better place to put this tool to the test than on the first section of the trip? The day before our first overnight section, as I organized gear, sprawling out sleeping pads, a tent, trekking poles and various knick-knacks across our living room floor, I made sure to put on the SRPG13. I pictured standing on a mountain top, getting the kids set up with a celebratory lunch, lining up the hour hand, and then bisecting with ease. With a real compass in my pack, I was excited to check my accuracy.  Two miles away and 2000 feet above the parking lot whe...

FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Geoff Hess joins Sotheby’s as Head of Watches for the Americas Time+Tide
Aug 11, 2023

FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Geoff Hess joins Sotheby’s as Head of Watches for the Americas

It’s that time of year where the Swiss typically go on holiday, which means there’s less news about fresh releases this week. Nonetheless, some big news was announced at Sotheby’s, when Geoff Hess was revealed as the esteemed auction house’s new Head of Watches for the Americas region. “It is my honour to take up … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: Geoff Hess joins Sotheby’s as Head of Watches for the Americas appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.

Highlights: Sotheby’s Hong Kong Fine Watches Online SJX Watches
Patek Philippe complications Jul 5, 2023

Highlights: Sotheby’s Hong Kong Fine Watches Online

The summer tends to be a quiet period in the watch world since most of Switzerland goes on holiday. However, Sotheby’s Hong Kong is staging one major event before the summer lull with an online sale running for just over a week. Fine Watches opens on July 5th and runs until the 14th featuring 272 lots ranging from Patek Philippe complications to simple time-only Cartier. We cover highlights from the sale below – the catalogue can be seen here – but before that we look at something special. Happening alongside the online auction is a sealed auction for an Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon ref. 5002P-013 with a custom-order black dial that runs online from July 13-21. The ref. 5002P once held the title of most complicated wristwatch Patek Philippe ever produced and remains a landmark in Patek Philippe watchmaking. Not only is this ref. 5002P possibly unique thanks to the striking black dial, it is also double sealed – in other words brand new. Since 2017 Patek Philippe has banned its retailers from selling sealed watches and so an double-sealed example of a special-order grand complication on the secondary market is rare. This double-dial complication offers an incredible opportunity to collectors, since the last time we saw this a sealed example of this reference at auction was back in 2018 at Antiquorum where it sold for just under US$1.2 million, and that was just single sealed. Prices have naturally climbed since then. In fact, this example mirrors the one that ...

FRIDAY WIND DOWN: The 62 Only Watch 2023 lots have been unveiled – these are 10 standouts Time+Tide
Tudor FXD watches Jun 30, 2023

FRIDAY WIND DOWN: The 62 Only Watch 2023 lots have been unveiled – these are 10 standouts

As far as weekly watch news goes, this week really packed in a lot of excitement. A new “Summer Blue” Omega Seamaster 75th Anniversary Collection, new carbon-cased Tudor FXD watches, and the unveiling of the 2023 Only Watch charity auction lots to raise money for research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and related genetic diseases. … ContinuedThe post FRIDAY WIND DOWN: The 62 Only Watch 2023 lots have been unveiled – these are 10 standouts appeared first on Time+Tide Watches.